Holder for cigars and cigarettes incorporating an ejector and filter



M. PILIEGO HGLDER FOR CIGARS AND CIGARETTES INCORPORATIN United States Patent O 3,181,533 HOLDER FR CHGARS AND CIGARETTES IN- CORPQRA'I'ING AN EJECTR AND FILTER Mario Piliego, Milan, Italy, assigner to Boni S.r.i., Milan, Italy, a corporation of Italy Filed .lune`16, 1961, Ser. No. 117,739 Claims priority, application Italy, .lune 18, 1960, 10,828/60, Patent 4,444 2 Claims. (Cl. 1391-182) The present invention relates to holders -for cigars and cigarettes.

Some known types of cigar and cigarette holders are impractical because of their complex structure and because of their involved manufacturing processes which keep their cost so high as to put them beyond the purchasing means o many smokers. The holders must Satisfy hygienic requirements and their filters must be rapidly and easily exchangeable without dirtying the smoker, and without allowing condensation to be deposited on the moving parts of the ejector so as t hinder the proper performance thereof. The present invention satisfies this and other requirements, especially the hygienic requirements.

The holder comprises a tubular housing or body which houses a cartridge for the filtering material and a tubular spring type pusher for expelling the stub. In accordance with the invention, the cartridge is tted at one of its extremities with a tubular element constituting the tube or mouthpiece of the holder, so as to form a single element with said cartridge. The other extremity of the cartridge is removably affixed to the corresponding extremity of the pusher in such a manner as to form a conduit for the smoke between the cartridge and the pusher. The filter is inserted in the conduit and can be changed together with the tube or mouthpiece. The removable connection between the filter cartridge and the pusher may be achieved by any suitable known means, such as, for example, by threaded coupling or by sliding or forced resilient coupling.

In accordance with the present invention, the spring type pusher comprises a rod-like pusher member provided with at least one shoulder for engaging one of the extremities of a spiral spring positioned over the pusher member. The other extremity of the spring is engaged by a complementary shoulder in the form of a sleeve a'ixed to the extremity of the tubular housing. The sleeve at the extremity of the tubular housing guides the pusher in its movement and is shaped for receiving a cigar or cigarette.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. l is a central longitudinal section of an embodiment of the cigar and cigarette holder of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along line ll-ll of the embodiment of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal section of another embodiment of the cigar and cigarette holder of the present invention; and

FlG. 4 is a cross-section taken along line IVIV of the embodiment of FiG. 3.

ICC

In FIGS. l and 2, the cigar and cigarette holder cornprises a substantially elongated tubular housing A, having at one of its extremities a mouthpiece B and at the other extremity a sleeve C for holding the cigarette or the like in the commonly known manner.

The tubular housing A, as seen in FIGS. l and 2, houses a filter cartridge D, having a tubular jacket filled with suitable filtering material, for example silica gel or similar material. The cartridge D terminates at its lower ex tremity with a threaded tubular appendix or extending portion 1t?. The threaded portion 1li of the cartridge D engages corresponding threads on the inside of a collar 12 of a rod-like pusher member 14. The other extremity of the pusher member 14 slides through a hole 16 in the sleeve C. The diameter of the hole 16 is less than that of hole 18 which is shaped to receive and holds a cigarette or cigar.

The pusher member 14 is fitted with a plurality of prismatic or radial projections 20, adjacent its collar 12. The projections 20 engage corresponding channels 22 formed in the tubular housing A. The channels 22 are of fixed length and constitute guides for the pusher member 14 when said pusher member is axially displaced in said tubular housing.

The sleeve C terminates in a portion 24 extending into the housing A, the portion 24 being provided with prismatic or radial projections 26 which forcibly engage with the channels 22 of the tubular housing A to aix said sleeve to said housing.

A hole 16 is centrally located in a shoulder 28 transversely arranged in the sleeve C. The shoulder 28 of the sleeve C supports One of the extremities of a spiral spring 3l). The other extremity of the spring 30 is abutted by the shoulder formed by the collar 12 of the pusher member 14. The spring urges the pusher member 14 toward the mouthpiece end of the tubular housing A.

The other extremity of the lilter cartridge D is removably afiixed to the mouthpiece B. The extremity 34 of the mouthpiece B slidingly engages, with a given amount of play, with the edge 36 of the tubular housing A.

ln the preferred embodiment of my invention, the iilter cartridge D is filled with layers of filtering material inserted from the extending lower portion 10 on up, and is then closed by the depending apertured plug or tap 32 of the mouthpiece B. The mouthpiece B is forcibly engaged with the filter cartridge D so that said mouthpiece and said filter cartridge are removably afiixed to each other. The mouthpiece B and the lilter cartridge D may, of course, be aixed to each other by adhesive, if desited.

The mouthpiece B and the filter cartridge D thus function as a unit which may be introduced into the tubular housing A, and which is held in said tubular housing by screwing the tubular appendix or extending portion 10 into the collar 12 of the pusher member 14. The screwing operation, as well as that of unscrewing, may be accomplished because the pusher member 14 is prevented from rotating with respect to the tubular housing A by the projections 20 and the grooves 22.

In this manner, aside from the mechanical connection between mouthpiece B and filter cartridge D unit and the tubular housing A, there is also achieved a fluid seal between said uni-t and the sleeve C, and therefore also with the cigar or' cigarette, i.e., the mechanical connection between portion ffl and collar 12 acts to prevent fiuid from escaping therethrough and positions member 14 relative to the lter-mouthpiece unit BD so as to form a fiuid passage from unit BD to sleeve C. Due to this mechanical coupling, moving the mouthpiece B in the direction of the arrow X moves the pusher member 14 in the direction of said arrow, against the action ofthe spring 30, to the position 14', in which the cigar or cigarette stub is ejected from the sleeve C.

To change the filter, it is sufficient to remove the unit kBD from the tubular housing A and replace either the filter cartridge D or the entire unit BD.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of the holder of the presen-t invention where the plug or tap 32a of the mouthpiece B' is provided with one or more peripheral grooves, which firmly engages a corresponding internal projection 4t) formed at the edge of the filter cartridge D. At least one of the mouthpiece B' and filter cartridge D'Vis made of yielding resilient material, so that the assembly and closure of the filter may be executed rapidly and without the need for tools or adhesives.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the removable engagement between the mouthpiece B' and filter carfridge D unit and the tubular housing A' is accomplished by a resilient forcing oper-ation. The filter cartridge D', has a substantially cylindrical configuration tapering slightly at the end near the plug or tap 32a. The mouthpiece filter cartridge unit B'D' frictionally engages the tubular housing A' near its opening. Such frictional engagement may be obtained 'by various means. For example the tubular housing A may be molded of material having suitable resilient properties so as to frictionally engage with B'D.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, at approximately half its length, the pusher member 14a is provided with a shoulder 42, which supports one of the extremities of a spring 30a, and which cooperates with one of a plurality of radial fins 44 positioned inside the tubular housing A.

Y The fins 44function as guiding elements for the pusher member 14a and also as a stop for that member. The fins 44 function as an end stop for both the shoulders 42 and 46, each of which shoulders is positioned on opposite sides of said fins.

The filter cartridge D' is closed Vby a bottom plug or tap`48, which may be part of the cartridge configuration itself, formed with a substantially conical seat S0 which houses an extremity 52 of the pusher member 14a.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the fiuid or gas passage between the fil-ter cartridge D' and the sleeve C' includes the'conical seats 5t) and 52, which are maintained in engagement by the cooperation between the frictional forcesacting on unit BD' as a result of the frictional engagement, such as described above, between the mouthpiece B and filter cartridge D' unit, and the tubular housing A', and the action of the spring 30a on the pusher member 14a.

The stub may be ejected from the sleeve C', by moving the filter cartridge D' and mouthpiece B' unit in the direction of the arrow X. The mouthpiece B' and filter Vcartridge D' unit may be changed by sliding it away from the sleeve C'.

The cigar and cigarette holder of the present invention, and especially the holder of FIGS. 3 and 4, may be easily and economically constructed of molded plastic materials with only the spring 30 and sleeve C of metal. The unit formed by the mouthpiece B' and the filter cartridge D may be manufactured so inexpensively that it may be discarded when the filter is exhausted. The tubular housing A with the ejector may be used indenitely.

Other modifications and varia-tions may be made within the scope of the invention, such as, for example, the mouthpiece and filter cartridge unit may be made as a singleunit.

. intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A holder for cigars and cigarettes comprising, in combination,

a substantially elongated tubular housing having an inner surface; Y

a filter cartridge positioned in said tubular housing;

a mouthpiece afiixed to one end o-f said filter cartridge in said tubular housing and extending beyond one end of said tubular housing, a portion of said mouthpiece being slidably and frictionally engageable with the inner surface of said tubular housing;

a sleeve affixed to the other end of said tubular housing and extending beyond said other end of said tubular housing, said sleeve being'shaped to receive a cigarette at its extending end and having a shoulder in its other end, the shoulder of said sleeve forming an aperture;

spring biased pusher means comprising a substantially elongated pusher member having an axis and abutting at one end the other end of said filter cartridge and forming therewith a iiuid coupling andV passing through the aperture formed by lthe shoulder of said sleeve adjacent its other end, said pusher member being lslidably supported in the other end of said tubular housing and having a shoulder positioned thereon intermediatel the ends thereof, and spring means supported by the shoulder of said sleeve and the shoulder of-said pusher member for urging said pusher member toward said one end of said tubular housing thereby urging said pusher member toward said other end of said filter cartridge and maintaining said fluid coupling; and

guide means for limiting movement of said pusher member to an axial direction, said guide means comprising radially extending projections extending from the inner surface of said tubular housing toward said pusher member between the shoulder of said pusher member and said one end of said pusher member.

2. A holder for cigars and cigarettes comprising in combination,

a substantially elongated tubular housing having an inner surface;

a filter cartridge positioned in said tubular housing;

a mouthpiece afxed to one end of said filter cartridge in said tubular housing and extending beyond one end or" said tubular housing, a portion of said mouthpiece being slidably andV frictionally engageable with the inner surface of said tubular'housing;

a sleeve affixed to the other end of said tubular housing and extending beyond said other end of said tubular housing, said sleeve being shaped to receive a cigarette at its extending end and having a shoulder in its other end, the shoulder of said sleeve forming an aperture;

spring biased pusher means comprising a substantially elongated pusher member having an axis and abutting at one end the other end of said filter cartridge and forming therewith a fluid coupling and passing through the aperture formed by the shoulder of said lsleeve adjacent its other end, said pusher member being slidably supported in the other end of said tubular housing and having a first` shoulder positioned thereon intermediate the ends thereof and a second shoulder positioned thereon adjacent said one end thereof, and spring means supported by the shoulder of said sleeve and the iirst shoulder of said pusher member for urging said pusher member fto- 5 Ward said one end of said tubular housing -thereby urging said pusher member toward said other end of said filter cartridge and maintaining said fluid coupling; and

guide means for limiting movement of said pusher mem- 10 ber to an axial direction, said guide means cornprising radially extending proiections extending from the inner surface of said tubular housing toward said pusher member between the rst and second shoulders of said pusher member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,228,951 l/4l Franklin 131-182 2,785,684 3/57 Lowenthal 131--182 2,845,075 7/58 Savinelli y 131-182 FOREIGN PATENTS 123,508 2/ 19 Great Britain.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiner. 

1. A HOLDER FOR CIGARS AND CIGARETTES COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY ELONGATED TUBULAR HOUSING HAVING AN INNER SURFACE; A FILTER CARTRIDGE POSITIONED IN SAID TUBULAR HOUSING; A MOUTHPIECE AFFIXED TO ONE END OF SAID FILTER CARTRIDGE IN SAID TUBULAR HOUSING AND EXTENDING BEYOND ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING, A PORTION OF SAID MOUTHPIECE BEING SLIDABLY AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE INNR SURFACE OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING; A SLEEVE AFFIXED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING AND EXTENDING BEYOND SAID OTHER END OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING, SAID SLEEVE BEING SHAPED TO RECEIVE A CIGARETTE AT ITS EXTENDING END AND HAVING A SHOULDER IN ITS OTHER END, THE SHOULDER OF SAID SLEEVE FORMING AN APERTURE; SPRING BIASED PUSHER MEANS COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY ELONGATED PUSHER MEMBER HAVING AN AXIS AND ABUTTING AT ONE END THE OTHER END OF SAID FILTER CARTRIDGE AND FORMING THEREWITH A FLUID COUPLING AND PASSING THROUGH THE APERTURE FORMED BY THE SHOULDER OF SAID SLEEVE ADJACENT ITS OTHER END, SAID PUSHER MEMBER BEING SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN THE OTHER END OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING AND HAVING A SHOULDER POSITIONED THEREON INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, AND SPRING MEANS SUPPORTED BY THE SHOULDER OF SAID SLEEVE AND THE SHOULDER OF SAID PUSHER MEMBER FOR URGING SAID PUSHER MEMBER TOWARD SAID ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING THEREBY URGING SAID PUSHER MEMBER TOWARD SAID OTHER END OF SAID FILTER CARTRIDGE AND MAINTAINING SAID FLUID COUPLING; AND GUIDE MEANS FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT OF SAID PUSHER MEMBER TO AN AXIAL DIRECTION, SAID GUIDE MEANS COMPRISING RADIALLY EXTENDING PROJECTIONS EXTENDING FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID TUBULAR HOUSING TOWARD SAID PUSHER MEMBER BETWEEN THE SHOULDER OF SAID PUSHER MEMBER AND SAID ONE END OF SAID PUSHER MEMBER. 